Jesse a



(NoModeL) I J. A. GRANDALL.

Reading Desk.

No. 230,750. Patented 'Aug. 3,1880

N. PETERS, PHOTQ-LITNOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON D c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- JESSE A. ORANDALL, OF BROOKLYN, NEWV YORK.

READING-DESK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 230,750, dated August 3, 1880, Application filed April 15, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JESSE A. ORANDALL, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Beading-Desk, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the construction of a reading-desk, book-rest, and writing-table, specially adapted to the use of invalids and others who are either compelled or desire to read and write while in a reclining or partly reclining position.

The invention consists in connecting a portfolio and a box with a support having diverging legs, which are adapted to straddle the body of the person reclining, and to be firmly retained in that position, the box having alid and being formed in the cross-bar of the frame.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective View of my improy'ed desk, showing also the position it occupies when in use by a person reclining on a couch. Fig. 2 represents a plan view of the desk. Fig. 3 represents a longitudinal section of the same, taken on line w as of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the support or rest consists of a cross-bar, A, or piece provided with four obliquely-placed diverging legs, B B, at or near its ends, which sustain it at the desired height, and which are so far apart in pairs as to permit the support to straddle the body of the reader or writer when in a reclining position.

0 represents a cavity in the cross-bar for the reception of pencils, pens, and other articles used in writing, sketching, etc. This cavity can be closed by a hinged or sliding lid, a.

To the upper or back edge of the cross-bar A is hinged the desk or rest D, which is adapted to swing freely from a vertical to an inclined or horizontal position, as may be desired. To the back of the desk or rest D may be attached, by flexible connections I) at the bottom and ends, a plate, E, of about the same size as the desk or rest. The connections I) are of such a shape and material as to permit the two parts D and E to be folded close together, or opened at the top, thus forming a portfolio, F, for the reception of paper, 850.

G represents anotched brace, which is hinged at one end to the back of the plate E, if the portfolio attachment is employed but if not it will be hinged directly to the back of the desk orrest D. The brace G is passed through v may be desired.

a ring or eye, (1, on the end of an arm, h, projecting from the cross-bar A.

The notched brace engages the ring (I and supports the desk" D at any inclination that The brace is notched at the sides only, and smooth on top and bottom, so that if raised in the ring d it will permit the desk to be readily swung into the desired position; but if the brace is crowded against the side of the ring it will immediately lock the desk in the desired position.

H H represent spring fingers or holders for holding the book open or the paper on the desk or rest D. These fingers are pivoted to the cross-bar A, and are adapted to be turned up so as to bear against the leaves of a book or paper. They can also be turned down out of the way of the lid or cover a when it is desired to open the receptacle 0. In each end of the cross-bar A is a socket, c, for the reception of the standard of a lamp or candle bracket, I. This arrangement permits two lamp or candle brackets to be employed 5 or it but one is used it can be transferred to the side most convenient to thereader or writer.

In Fig. 1 is represented the manner ofadapting the reading desk or rest to the body of a person reclining on a sofa. The support, it will be observed, straddles the body, the legs resting on the sofa on each side and sustainin g the cross-bar at a proper height. The desk or rest D is directly in line with the face, so that the book or other article on the rest can be seen without turning the head. I

By means of the brace G the desk or rest D may be set upright or at an inclination suitable to the reader or writer, or the (lesk or rest D may be turned down to a horizontal position, thus forming aflat top similar to a table-top.

I claim- 1. In combination with the desk or rest D and diverging legs B B, the cross-bar A, connecting said legs B and carrying the receptacle O, and hinged cover a in front of desk D, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. In combination with the support A B B, the hinged desk or rest D and plate E, forming the portfolio F, substantially as herein shown and described.

JESSE A. ORANDALL.

Witnesses:

WILLY G. E. SonULTz, WILTON O. DoNN. 

